Cancer management in the Pacific region: a report on innovation and good practice

Abstract

Pacific island countries and territories (PICTs) face the challenge of a growing cancer burden. In response to these challenges, examples of innovative practice in cancer planning, prevention, and treatment in the region are emerging, including regionalisation and coalition building in the US-affiliated Pacific nations, a point-of-care test and treat programme for cervical cancer control in Papua New Guinea, improving the management of children with cancer in the Pacific, and surgical workforce development in the region. For each innovation, key factors leading to its success have been identified that could allow the implementation of these new developments in other PICTs or regions outside of the Pacific islands. These factors include the strengthening of partnerships within and between countries, regional collaboration within the Pacific islands (eg, the US-affiliated Pacific nations) and with other regional groupings of small island nations (eg, the Caribbean islands), a local commitment to the idea of change, and the development of PICT-specific programmes.

Figure 1:. Map of the Pacific islands countries and territories

Reproduced from 123RF Rainer Lesniewski. The dashed lines are an approximation of the territorial waters of the Pacific islands and territories. Countries and territories within the black area are part of the US-affiliated Pacific islands and territories area; those countries or terrorities within the red dashed lines are outside of US-affiliated Pacific islands and territories.

Figure 2:. US Pacific Comprehensive Cancer Control Programme and Partners

Reproduced from Palafox and colleagues (CC BY 4.0). CDC=US Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Figure 3:. Cervical screening management algorithm for Papua New Guinea

PoC=point of care. HPV=human palliomavirus. LBC=liquid-based cytology.